The Groom
by irislim
Summary: Her mom talks too much about her single state. Lizzie doesn't talk about it quite as much. But that doesn't mean she doesn't want her happily ever after.


Her mom's the obvious one. She talks of marrying off her daughters incessantly, belligerently. She brings it up at home, at church, at the mall - and, Lord help her, at family reunions. She exults over every new admirer to come Jane's way, boasts shamelessly about Lydia's flings, and practically announces to the world the horrors of Lizzie's perpetual state of singleness.

What the world doesn't know - is that Lizzie _wants_ to get married, almost as much as her mother wants her to.

"But what about you, Lizzie?" Jane asks kindly, whenever she has a date and Lizzie doesn't.

"It's their loss." Lizzie shrugs and grins, every time, even when it tears her up inside a little.

It's not that she thinks there's anything wrong with being single. She loves her job - down to every last snotty five-year-old. She loves bringing home huge stacks of finger-painted artwork to grade while Jane chats with her boyfriend in the other room.

But ever since she was a toddler, there's that nagging in her heart that hints at the thirst for a happily ever after. She wants the puffy white dress, the emotional groom, the dippy first kiss, and all.

All she really needs is to close her eyes and the whole thing appears in her mind - down to the monochromatic pink center pieces.

In fact, the only thing missing from her dream wedding - is the groom.

Maybe it's the fact that she's basically delegated the role to a minor detail - or maybe it's thanks to her general amiability and adjustability (at least, she thinks so ), but she _almost _says 'yes' to the first guy to ever ask.

So maybe it's good that it was awkward, frumpy Billy Collins who asked her first - after just one week of visiting.

Thank goodness she won't have to see him again.

It takes a couple of years for another guy to come along. Teaching Kindergarten does tend to widen your social circles among married people more than singles.

But having Gigi Darcy's much older brother heave a big sigh before taking a knee in her office an hour before PTA is the last thing she expects.

And the thing is - she almost says 'yes' again.

But he seems to think her hesitation means rejection - and leaves on his own.

So she brushes it off and tries to forget it. It's a fluke, an accident. He probably regrets it himself.

No brooding, mysterious, lonely William Darcy _really _intends to be the faceless groom in her fantasies.

She meets George Wickham that night.

She doesn't leave a great impression, freshly frazzled from a sudden proposal and all, but it doesn't seem to stop the baby-faced chauffeur from turning around and giving her a wink while guiding his boss out the door.

They start dating two weeks later.

And this time, Lizzie is _determined _not to jinx anything.

She takes it slow. George doesn't want to. She insists - and he compromises just a bit.

She kisses him. She cuddles. But she draws the line when he wants to stay over.

Call her traditional.

But she wants the wedding first.

And so it is, just five short weeks after she's promised herself not to think about it, Lizzie pictures her wedding again.

She gasps and sits up stick-straight when she realizes the groom is distinctly _not _faceless this time.

She pushes through the second half of the spring semester like a zombie.

The next time George tries to kiss her, she pulls away, apologizes - and dumps him.

She tries - she really, really tries to avoid thinking about it.

But graduation looms, just like that - and within two months she's ushering Gigi Darcy in a toga up to the stage - in the middle of all the applause - and she meets her brother's eye - and his gaze glints of _something._

It takes her a second to realize what that something is.

It's a touch of longing - and a hefty dose of unfinished business.

So what if she tries to make herself extra available after all the photos have been snapped and all the caps sweated to oblivion by the perspiring little graduates? Can anyone really blame her if she offers her help to a certain pair of siblings trying to get a good family photo?

But he doesn't ask her then.

In fact, he doesn't say anything beyond 'thank you' to her - until the next day.

"Miss Bennet?" He appears at her office, just as she's cleaning up for the summer.

Yesterday, she was wearing heels, hose, and a very pretty dress.

Right now, she's in sweats, glasses, and a very worn sweater.

The guy does have impeccable timing.

"I realized - after some lengthy self-evaluation - that I may have done - certain things - a little out of order," he blushes as he stutters.

It's very endearing.

"Mm hmm," she replies.

"So, to, uhm, well, hopefully rectify the situation." He clears his throat. "May I take you out to dinner - maybe tonight?"

She wonders how long she gets to hesitate this time before he runs.

"Please?" He doesn't run.

Slowly, she smiles. "Alright."

This time, everything works.

He takes her out, and he kisses her. He buys her flowers, and she fixes his tie. He tells the story of how he lost his parents, and then he bravely faces hers.

It doesn't take long for Lizzie to realize that she's very, very much in love with this version of her groom.

And when he applies for the position again, she makes sure she says 'yes' right away (and maybe half a dozen times more just to be sure).

When comes her wedding day, the center pieces don't arrive on time. Her dress earns a horrifying stain before the end of the night. Gigi trips as she throws flowers on the aisle - and ends up with two Band-aids on her face in every single picture, outshining the mother-of-the-bride's very puffy eyes.

It's not the perfect wedding.

But she has the perfect groom.

And, in a way, that's really all that matters.

* * *

_A/N: May every young lady waiting for her "hefty dose of unfinished business" have her happily-ever-after - with this groom or whichever one Providence deems best!_


End file.
